'India does have an advantage' - Azhar Mahmood on India-Pakistan T20 World Cup encounter

Former Pakistan all-rounder Azhar Mahmood has spoken about the India-Pakistan game at the T20 World Cup 2021 and tried to make sense of the hype created. The two teams will open their campaign in the UAE with a game between each other in Dubai on October 24. Mahmood noted that the Indian team will have an advantage heading into the tournament. 

As far as history is concerned, India has had a wood over Pakistan in the World Cups. In the 50 overs tournament, India has won seven out of seven games while in the shortest format, they have won all five matches. However, the former bowling coach of Pakistan expressed that India has an advantage because all their players have been in the UAE ahead of the tournament for the Indian Premier League (IPL).

They will have understanding of conditions, says Mahmood

“India-Pakistan games are always special when it comes to the hype and the pressure on players and the age-old cliché of any team can win on the day does apply to the game in this T20 World Cup as well. But realistically speaking, India does have an advantage going into this game as their players have been participating in the IPL which was played in the same venues in the UAE.

“So apart from playing highly competitive cricket, they also will have a good understanding of the playing conditions in the UAE,” wrote Mahmood in his column for PakPassion. Speaking about the Pakistan team, he also said that the players have been playing in the National T20 Cup which should give them the right amount of match practice ahead of the big tournament.

“But let us not forget that Pakistani players have also taken part in some intense Twenty20 cricket in the recently concluded National T20 Cup which was moved due to the cancellation of the New Zealand tour,” Azhar added. 

He further went on to say that an India-Pakistan match is generally won by the side that is able to absorb the pressure and in a format like Twenty20, it can easily come down to just one over where a batsman or bowler can totally change the complexion of the game. The last T20I between the two countries was played way back in 2016 in Kolkata. India had outperformed the Pakistan team in every aspect in that game. 

Speaking about the current unit, the former all-rounder expressed that fans can have high hopes for this Pakistan team as they have some solid match-winners in Babar Azam, Shoaib Malik, Mohammad Hafeez, Shadab Khan, Hassan Ali, and Shaheen Shah Afridi.

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